Ball-game apparatus



Patented 1an. 3, |899..

E- NEELY & w; n? amor.

BALL GAME APPARATUS.

(Application lad Illy 2, 1898.)

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Patented mm3, |399.

- E. NEELY &. W. M. BRADT;

BALL GAME APPARATUS. (Appncmnn med may 2 189s (No Nudel.)

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'Ihurrn BALL-GAME APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Patent No. 617,297, dated January 3, 1899.

Application 'filed May 2, 1898. Serial No. 679,536. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD NEELY and WILLIAM M. BRADT, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ball- Game Apparatus; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to that class of game apparatus in which the chance stoppage of a revoluble dial, pointer, or analogous device at one of a series of spaces marked with the different points of the game affords a result similar to one of the plays of a base-ball or other like game and which `play or tally is scored up toward the total record or tally of each inning played upon the apparatus.

The object of the present improvement is to provide a simple, durable, and effective mechanism for imparting a revoluble or spinning motion to the dial or pointer of a game apparatus and in connection therewith a simple and convenient means for scoring or indicating the dierent hits made during the inning, a simple and effective means for scoring the different fouls, foul-outs, strikes, callballs, and runs made during the inning, and means depending on chance for giving aruling in cases where the spinning dial or pointer stops on or closely adjacent to a median line between two of the marked spaces. We attain such objects by the construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan View of the exterior face of the present apparatus; Fig. 2, a sectional plan view of the same with the face portion removed so as to show the operating mechanism beneath; Fig. 3, an enlarged detail sectional elevation at line @c fr, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a similar view at line x ne', Figs. l, 2, and 5; Fig. 5, a similar view at line ocgocz, Figs. 1 and fi; Fig. 6, an enlarged detail plan of the mechanism for imparting a spinning motion to the dial or pointer of the apparatus.

Similar numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several views.

Referring to the drawings, l represents a rectangular box-shaped housing the interior of which contains the operating mechanism of the apparatus, While the front or face thereof is divided into a field portion and ascore-board portion, as shown in Fig. 1.

The eld portion is covered by a glass plate 2 and is divided of in manner similar to a base-ball field, the first, second, and third bases (3,4, and 5) being provided with movable dummies 6, as hereinafter described, that indicate when any one of said bases is occupied by a runner.

7 is a revoluble dial centrally arranged in the field, as shown,with its periphery spaced off and marked to indicate the different plays in the game, as One-base hit, Two-base hit, Three-base hit, Home-run,"Foul, Foul-out, Strike, Out on fly, Called ball, die., or other analogous terms.

Sis a stationary pointer indicating the point or play scored by the stoppage of the revoluble dial 7.

9 is a secondary spaced and marked dial which in the construction shown is stationary on the eld and is provided with a revoluble pointer 10, the spacings on the secondary dial being marked with the words Play over,

Right scores, and Left scores, or other like analogous terms.

It is Within the province of this part of the present invention to make both dials stationary on the field and provide the same with revoluble pointers or to make said pointers stationary and the dials revoluble, as the judgment of the constructor may deem best.

The score-board portion of the front of the apparatus will be provided with a series of three sliding knobs 11, by which the dummies 6 in the field are raised to indicate the different bases reached by the players, a series of nine or more sliding knobs or buttons 12 to register the runs made, a similar series of three sliding knobs or buttons 13 to register the number of put-outs to an inning, a similar series of three sliding knobs or buttons 14 to indicate the number of strikes made by a player, a similar series of four knobs lor buttons 15 to register the number of balls called on the pitcher, and a score-card 16 to register the runs made at each inning by the different sides or clubs. lhe score-board portion is also provided with an orifice 17 for the insertion of a coin or other circular metal ICO check or blank when suoli provision is employed to render the apparatus operative.

18 is a vertical shaft carrying at its upper end the revoluble dial 7, heretofore described, and at its lower end an elastic-rimmed wheel or pulley 19. 20 is a similar vertical shaft carrying in like manner at its upper end the pointer 10 of the secondary spaced and marked dial 9 and at its lower end an elastic-rimmed wheel or pulley 21, the elastic rims 22 of the wheels or pulleys 19 and 21 being usually formed of soft rubber.

-23 is a fixed supporting-base or bed-plate secured to the bottom board of the housing and formed with suitable journals for the vertical shafts 18 and 20, above described, aswell as with guide-lugs 24 for guiding the reciprocating bars 25 and 26, by which the required spinning or rotary motion is imparted to the said shafts and the dials and pointers carried thereby. The reciprocating bars 25 and 26 veach comprise a roughened fiat end portion 27 and 28 and handled end portion 29 and 30,

that extend outside the housing, so as to be outward direction out of engagement with the elastic-rimmed wheels 19 and 21 after the said f bars have been forcibly pushed inward by hand and then released. With such con,y struction a very simple and efficient means is provided for imparting by hand and at the will of the operator a spinning motion to the dials or pointers of the present game apparatus.

For ordinary uses the operating-bar 25 of the main dial will be of a single-piece construction.

When it is desired to impart a coin-controlled nature to the apparatus, the operatingbar 25 of the main dial will be made of a twopart construction, as illustrated in Figs. 2, 4, and 5. In these said bars will be formed two sections 33 and 34, one section comprising the flat end portion 27, heretofore described, and the guide portion thereof, which is formed with a coin or blank holder 35 and a depressed portion 36 between said coinholder and the flat end portion 27. The other section 34 comprises the handled portion 29 and its stem 37, that is adapted to contact with a coin or other metal disk 38 in the coinholder 35 to impart inward movement to the other section 33 in the presence of such coin or blank and in the absence of such coin or blank to be incapable of operative connection with said section 39 is a spring tending to force the section 34 outward to its normal position.

The coin-holder 35 comprises two laterallypositioned vertical guides 40 at one end of the section 33 and adapted to receive and hold the coin or blank 38 against any movement other than a vertical one. The said coin or blank 38 is held in guides 40 and in line with the handled stem 37 of the section 34, so as to constitute an operative connection between the two sections 33 and 34, by means of a bar or holder 41, that is capable of lateral movement to permit of the coin or blank 38 dropping down into the holder or receptacle 42. In the present construction this holder bar or rod 41 is connected to the sliding knob or button 13, that registers the third or final putout of the inning and so prevent any further operation of the apparatus until the next side has introduced a fresh coin or blank to again render the apparatus operative.

In the present construction the coin or blank holder 35, above described, will be in line with thecoin-passage 17 in the score-board portion ofthe apparatus,as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

The operative connection between the vertically moving dummies 6 at the different bases in the ball-field comprise the following construction: 43 is a tubular guide for one of said dummies secured to the front board of the apparatus and having its lower end slotted for the longitudinal movement of the camrod 44, that is connected to the sliding knob or button l1, and is provided with an inclined cam portion 45, that engages beneath the dummy 6 to raise or lower the same with a a movement by hand of the said knob or button in one or the other direction.

In the present game apparatus the abovedescribed dummies will be raised to a visible position at the base occupied by a runner and depressed to an invisible position when the runner is either put out or has made the next base, said dummies being intended to indicate during the progress of the game which bases, if any, are occupied by runners.

Having thus fully described our said invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Ina ball-game substantially as herein descri'bed,the combination of a box-shaped housing the front plate of which is divided into a main iield portion, and a supplementary uncovered and accessible score portion, a transparent covering for the field portion to render the same inaccessible, registers or counters arranged in the score portion, a spaced and marked dial and pointer arranged in the field portion, one of which is made revoluble, a vertical shaft carrying such revoluble part, and a spring-impelled bar having engagement with said shaft and adapted to impart a spinning motion thereto, said bar projecting outside the housing so as to be capable of operation by hand, substantially as herein described.

2. In a ball-game apparatus substantially as herein described, the combination of a box- IOO IIO

shaped housing'the front plate of which is diary spaced and marked dial and pointer therefor one of which is revoluble and adapted to umpire a close or doubtful play, both of said dials and pointers being arranged in the inaccessible field portion, individual vertical shafts varying the revoluble parts of such indicating devices, and individual spring-impelled bars having engagement With said shafts and adapted to impart spinning motions thereto, said bars projecting outside lthe housing so as to be capable of operation by hand, substantially as set forth.

3. In a ball-game apparatus, substantially as herein described, the combination of a boxshaped housing` the front plat-e of which represents a ball-iield, a spaced and marked dial and pointer therefor, one of which is made revoluble, and means for imparting a spinning movement to the revoluble member, the

same comprising a vertical shaft carrying` said revoluble member, an elastic-rimmed Wheel on said shaft, a reciprocating bar, having a iiattened and roughened end portion adapted to engage the elastic-rimmed Wheel, the said bar projecting outside the housing and provided With a knob or handle, and an operating-spring connected to the said bar and adapted in the active engagement of the bar with the Wheel, to impart a rapid spinning movement to said Wheel, substantially as herein described.

4. In a ball-game apparatus, substantially as herein described, the combination of a boX- shaped housing the front plate of which is divided into a main field portion, and a supplementary score portion, a spaced and marked dial and pointer therefor arranged in the field portion, one of which is made revoluble, a series of verticallymoving dummies arranged in the field portion, and means for imparting vertical movement to said dummies, substantially as herein described.

5. In a ball-game apparatus, substantially asherein described, the combination of a boxshaped housing the front plate of which is divided into a main field portion, and a supplementary score portion, a spaced and marked dial and pointer therefor arranged in the iield portion, one of which is made revoluble, a series of vertically moving dummies arranged in the field portion, and means for imparting vertical movement to the dummies, the same comprising a series of cam-bars having engagement beneath said dummies, and connected to a series of sliding buttons arranged in the score portion of the housing, substantially as herein described.

In testimony whereof Witness our hands this 29th day of April, 1898.

EDWARD NEELY.

XVM. M. BRADT.

In presence of- ROBERT BURNS, JAMES LAvl/SILLINA 

